Page 193 - ShowSight - June 2020

running and playing with other dogs and children. Most Samoyeds also enjoy sledding, hiking, herding and performance events with their owners. They love to do anything with people. They are very much a people breed. Thousands of years ago they lived alongside the Samoyed people, slept with them in their tents for warmth, guarded them from predators, and often babysat their children while parents were busy doing chores. This personality remains today; loyal and wanting to be with people.
Is my breed generally good with other dogs? With other house- hold pets? Yes, they enjoy playing with other dogs under supervi- sion, depending on the age of the dogs. Intact males often do not get along with other intact males, but that can depend on the home situation, the interactions of the “pack” and personalities of the dogs. A male–female combination is usually preferable. They can play rough and this is an energetic breed. So the size of other dogs matters as does age. If raised from puppies with other species such as cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds, etc., a Samoyed usually does quite well. They are more accepting of cats than some breeds, but an adult Samoyed that has not grown up with other species can be risky with small animals. Therefore, caution and supervision are a must. They can be primitive in nature, particularly the females, and often will chase and kill rabbits, birds and small prey if given the opportunity.
How much does my breed really shed? Are they enthusiastic barkers? Yes, they shed pretty much all the time to some degree. An intact female will “blow” coat twice yearly which is felt to be a hormonal change affected by their heat cycle. An intact male will blow coat once yearly, generally. Altered Samoyeds will grow more profuse, thick coats due to the hormonal changes. An altered dog generally requires more frequent brushing and grooming to main- tain a healthy coat.
Most Samoyeds are barkers, particularly when excited or bored. I always warn potential buyers of this. They can also be very loud and shrill, depending on the dog. They also like to talk and howl, which can be endearing.
A funny story about my experiences showing Samoyeds? Oh, so many! There was the time there was an accident on the Ohio Turnpike, causing stopped traffic on the way to a show. My friend and I took out our grooming tables on the side of the turnpike and began grooming our dogs. (We knew that if we managed to get there before our ring time there would be little time for grooming!) We did make it to the shows on time, but neither one of us won anything that day!
Then there was the time I got a flat tire in Chicago on my way to the Chicagoland Samoyed Specialty. Luckily, there was a tire shop outside of the fairground gates. I had my tire changed, got to the show on time, and won Best in Specialty with my top-winning dog “Glacier” that day!
Is there anything else I’d like to share about my breed? Temper- ment is everything. This is a breed that adores children. One of the best things about the Samoyed is its loving nature. They are very intelligent, but can be very stubborn. They will do something “once” when asked, but if you ask them to do it again they will gen- erally walk away! They are notorious for eating things they should not, so they must be supervised or crated in a safe environment when left alone. They will follow you from room to room because they want to be with people. They can suffer from separation anxi- ety if left alone for long periods of time.
CAROL HJORT
SAMOYED Q&A
“ TEMPERMENT IS EVERYTHING. ” THIS IS A BREED THAT ADORES CHILDREN.
My husband, Andy, and I have owned Samo- yeds since 1976 and estab- lished Jubillie Samoyeds in 1978. Avid Samoyed fanciers, Andy and I have bred and shown many Samoyeds to their Cham- pionships, personally handling them to Breed, Group, and All-Breed Best in Show and Best in Specialty Show wins or imported from Great Brit-
placements, including two Samoyeds we
ain. I have had the honor of judging Samoyed Sweepstakes at six Regional Specialties in California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin, as well as serving as the Futurity Judge for the 2012 SCA National Specialty in Gettysburg, and Elements of the Standard Judge at the 2016 SCA National Specialty.
I have been an SCA member since 1978: Served on the SCA Board of Governors for a total of 10 years; Secretary of the SCA Judges Education Committee 1999-2015; Chairperson of SCA Judges Education Committee 2020; chaired a number of Commit- tees for SCA National Specialties, including Banquets Chairperson for the 2020 SCA National; Columnist for the Samoyed Quarterly 1991; Associate Writer for Hoflin Publishing 2000-2014; Guest writer on the breed for the Samoyed feature issues of Showsite Mag- azine, Working Dog Digest & The Canine Chronicle, among other ventures, too many to include!
I have lived in North Carolina for almost 30 years. I retired last August, and have been in Samoyeds for 44 years.
Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from breeding and showing dogs? My husband, Andy, and I enjoy traveling! We have been to Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and Quebec, Canada over the past year. We also enjoy traveling in our RV, and hope to do some sightseeing along the way to the National Specialty next year in Denver, Colorado!
What are the key aspects of breed type for my breed? The Samo- yed had to live and work in the most brutal arctic conditions. There are three components needed by these dogs in order to be able to thrive on the tundra:
• Type, the survival characteristics needed to endure the subzero temperatures of the long arctic winters. These would include a thick, weather-resistant coat to keep the dog warm during the nine-month-long winter and repel the snow, an almond shaped eye to prevent snow blindness, enough length of muzzle to help warm the frigid arctic air before it reached the lungs, and sufficient length of tail so that the dog could curl up and cover its muzzle with it’s tail when resting to warm it’s breath and prevent the dog from freezing in
its sleep.
• Temperament, the dogs had to be compatible with both the humans and with the animals with which it lived and worked (both the fellow canines working alongside it, as well as the reindeer it herded). If a dog was not capable of getting along
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